How to Build Your Hurricane Survival Kit

Being prepared for disasters is a shared responsibility among all of us.  And today, as we mark the beginning of the Atlantic hurricane season,  the team at ServiceMaster by Lovejoy wants to encourage everyone, families, communities, and businesses - to take action now to prepare. 

As we’ve seen too many times before, all it takes is one major hurricane or tropical storm to devastate a community, neighborhood, or family. When a hurricane hits, it can bring high winds, heavy rainfall, coastal and inland flooding, rip currents, and even tornadoes. That’s why if you live in an area in Atlanta, Georgia where hurricanes are a threat, you need to know where you’d go before the danger arrives and makes evacuation impossible. 

ServiceMaster by Lovejoy, a storm damage restoration company in Atlanta, Georgia has the unique ability to handle and respond to multiple projects at once, providing the most reliable disaster response help that includes: 

• Water Damage Service Atlanta
• Water Damage Restoration Atlanta
• Storm  Damage Restoration Atlanta 
• Reconstruction Service Atlanta 
• Mold Remediation Service Atlanta

 In times when resources are scarce, you can count on ServiceMaster by Lovejoy to be there for your property and give you the personalized attention you deserve.  

Emergency Hurricane Survival Kits Are Essential In A  Hurricane 

Here are steps on how to build a hurricane survival kit: 

1. Determine how many people you need to prepare for. Depending on your situation, you may have additional guests riding out the storm with you such as elderly relatives. Emergency kits and backpacks are often created to contain enough supplies for between two to four people.

2. Find a durable backpack or duffle bag to store all of your emergency supplies and gear. We recommend using a backpack to help even out the weight distribution, and this will make it easier to transport the bag should you need to evacuate.

3. Fill your kit with enough non-perishable food and water for each person in the household for three days (72 hours). Keep in mind that you may need to use the water for sanitation purposes as well. 

4. Pack a portable stove so that you can heat up food or water without electricity. If a severe hurricane does strike, it’s possible that power lines will become damaged, knocking out the primary source of electricity in your area.

5. You won’t want to eat food with your fingers, so don’t forget to include bowls and utensils in your kit.

6. Pack a few different light sources that will help you make it through any scenario. 

Lightsticks are great because they provide reliable illumination from up to a mile away and are not dependent on batteries.

7. Pack emergency blankets to stay comfortable when sleeping, should you find yourself in a less than ideal sleeping arrangement. In the event of a hurricane evacuation, hotels may be sold out requiring you to make alternate short-term arrangements for sleeping, like staying in a shelter.

8. Make sure to find and pack a well-built knife. There are too many uses for a good knife to name, but suffice it to say that you don’t want to be left without one.

9. Make sure you have a battery-operated or hand-crank radio in your kit, just in case the power goes out.

10. Place a first aid kit in your emergency backpack. It’s not uncommon to sustain injuries while evacuating from a hurricane or cleaning up from the aftermath. Make sure your first aid kit contains the following items:

• Pain-relieving medication
• Adhesive and fabric bandages
• Rubbing alcohol or alcohol cleansing pads
• Butterfly wound closures
• Safety pin
• Antiseptic cleansing wipes
• Antibiotic ointment
• Burn cream pack gauze roll bandage

12. Add a whistle to your kit. This may come in handy if you need to signal for help.

13. Include bath wipes in your kit as well. Taking a bath may not be an option right after hurricane land.

14. Don’t forget to include a spare cell phone charger in the kit too. Keep your cell phone charged before the hurricane makes landfall. You never know if or how long the power will be out.

15. Find out if you live in an evacuation area. If you do, locate the closet emergency shelters near your home. Keep in mind when researching shelters that not all of them accept pets.

16. Put a local map in your emergency kit in case you have to evacuate the area.

Trust The Experts 

Preparing your property for a hurricane may sound like a lot of work, but it really isn’t. Especially when you divide the key tasks into bite-size chunks across a week or two. If you already have an emergency action plan or disaster recovery plan, you will simply need to make updates and refresh supplies. If this is your first time preparing your business for a hurricane, ServiceMaster by LoveJoy’s hurricane survival tips is a helpful resource for capturing key information.

We will work directly with your insurance company and insurance vendor and communicate to you all the particulars at every stage of the repair process. For immediate and faster response, you can contact 678-293-0297 for 24-hour Emergency Service. We will arrive at your home within 2 hours.

5 Tips to Prepare for the Hurricane Season in Atlanta, Georgia

Hurricane season is NOW.

Hurricanes in Atlanta, Georgia are among the most dangerous types of weather conditions and for six months out of the year.  Hurricanes are dangerous because they dump heavy rain in a short period of time and have very powerful winds.  The heavy rain can quickly cause severe water damage and flooding and the winds are strong enough to damage buildings and knock down large objects like trees and power lines.  These storms are responsible for billions of dollars in property damage in Atlanta, Georgia. If you live in a hurricane-prone area like Atlanta, Georgia, it is important to prepare for the possibility of a hurricane.  

Be Prepared! Plan Ahead.

ServiceMaster by Lovejoy a water removal company in Atlanta - our framework enables us to repair your property rapidly. Furthermore, we offer : 

• Water Damage Repair Service Atlanta
• Flood Restoration Service Atlanta
• Storm Damage Repair Atlanta 
• Reconstruction Service in Atlanta

Our exceedingly  IICRC certified staff and best in class damage restoration service guarantee that any work we perform will be finished the correct route – on time and in an expert way.

5 Tips to Prepare for the Hurricane Season in Atlanta, Georgia

The following hurricane preparedness tips will help you get ready for hurricane season.  You must address any damage to your property from a hurricane immediately by calling a storm damage restoration expert.

1. Review your plan: At the beginning of each hurricane season, review your plan for preparing and reacting to a hurricane and update it if needed.

2. Protect important documents: Put important documents like birth certificates, titles, house deeds, and others in a waterproof safe. This safe should be stored on the upper floors of your home for more protection.

3. Discuss the plan: Share the plan with your family so everyone knows what to do when a hurricane is imminent.

4.Emergency supply kit: Put together emergency supplies that you will need in case you are trapped in your home without power or forced to evacuate. See the section below for more on what to include in your emergency supply kit.

• Putting together an emergency supply kit is an important part of hurricane preparation.  Your emergency supply kit should contain the following:
• Water: You should have one gallon of water per person each day for between 3 and 7 days.
• Food: Your food supply should consist of non-perishable items and snack foods as well as paper plates, a can opener, and cooking tools.
• Clothing: Pack clothing that can withstand the rainy conditions.
• Blankets and pillows: Have enough blankets and pillows for each member of your family.
• First Aid Kit: Pack necessary medication and prescription drugs as well as bandages and other supplies to deal with minor injuries.
• Toiletries: Include personal hygiene products.
• Special items: Make sure to pack any special items needed or young children or the elderly.
• Flashlight batteries: Pack a flashlight and extra batteries to keep it working.
• Radio: Include a small battery-operated radio to listen to weather reports.
• Cell phones: Keep your cell phones charged and bring extra batteries and a charger.
• Cash and credit cards: You may not be able to visit a bank or ATM if the hurricane has caused significant widespread damage.
• Keys: Make sure you have your keys for your car and house.
• Pet care: If you have pets, you must have supplies for them too. Make sure you have the proper identification documents, food, and water for several days, a leash, and a cage if necessary.
• Tools: Having a simple tool kit handy can be useful.
• Gas in vehicles: Make sure your car is filled with gas before a storm so you can evacuate without making any stops.
  
  

5.Evacuation routes: Hurricane prone areas typically have mapped out evacuation routes. Make sure you are familiar with the evacuation route in your area in case a hurricane forces you to evacuate.

Choose the Right Contractor to Restore Your Home

It’s important to hire a professional and trustworthy contractor to help you recover your home. Poor or incomplete restoration will leave you with an unhealthy home for your family. Any time there is potential water damage, mold can begin growing immediately as well. It’s critical to address and remedy this as soon as possible to avoid additional damage and health risk.

A restoration company like ServiceMaster by Lovejoy can take that responsibility off of your shoulders. At ServiceMaster by Lovejoy,  we have seen it all when it comes to storm damage and water damage restoration services. Whatever your situation is, we will start the process of restoring your lives by giving you a free quote and time estimate on the storm damage repairs required. Get started by calling us at Conyers: 678-293-0297 and Roswell: 770-992-1575.

Why You Should and Need to Clean, Sanitize, and Disinfect a Flooded Home Urgently?

When your house gets flooded, the water can wreak havoc on the structure of the house, your belongings, and the health of the inside environment of your home. 

Floodwaters contain many contaminants, bacteria, and lots of mud. Expensive items can get ruined all at once, even with just an inch of water. Some of which are carpeting, wallboard, electrical wires, appliances, and furniture. In severe weather, such as intense storms, heavy rains, or deep flooding, expensive systems like your HVAC, air ducts, roofing, and building foundation can incur more damages.

A flooding incident in your home or business needs immediate cleaning and drying. Proper cleaning helps eliminate the harmful effects of bacterial and viral organisms, and structural drying is also important for mold prevention.

When cleaning out your basement, home, or business after a flood, you need to follow these steps (source: Rhode Island Department of Health).

Throw away wet materials that can’t be cleaned

• For insurance purposes, take photographs of all the damaged belongings, valuables, and property that you must throw away.
• Wash curtains, clothing, and bedding with hot soapy water. Bleach them whenever possible and then dry and iron them.
• Flush rugs and furniture with clean water, and furniture-friendly shampoo and air-dry them. 

Clean safely

• To protect yourself from germs and harmful bacteria in the water, mold on surfaces, and the chemicals in cleaning supplies avoid direct contact. Wear pants, long sleeves, boots, and rubber gloves.
• Protect your eyes, nose, and lungs by using a mask.
• Use soap or cleaning products with a disinfectant for killing germs. Never mix bleach with other cleaning supplies in the same bucket.
• Open windows and use fans to pull fumes from your work area.
• To control dust, avoid dry sweeping. Mist down areas to contain dust and collect the dust with a wet/dry shop vac.
• Always wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water or an alcohol-based hand sanitizer when you are done cleaning to avoid contamination and health risks.

Dry flooded areas thoroughly

• Areas that stay wet or damp for more than 48 hours can promote mold growth.
• If carpets, clothing, paper, and other absorbent materials cannot be completely dried, it is best to throw them out rather than keeping them as this can be a great place for mold to thrive.
• Run bathroom and kitchen ventilators to keep the air moving in your home.
• If there is no standing water and it is safe to use electric appliances, use fans to help dry damp areas. Fans mounted in windows and blowing out will not blow dust or mold spores about in living areas.
• Do not pump water out into the sewer system as it will worsen the problems you are already having throughout the state with sewage treatment. Water should be pumped out into your yard or stormwater drain pipes. Professional water extraction companies have the best equipment for this.
• Once things are properly cleaned (disinfected) and dried they should be safe from bacteria and viruses.

Get Help

• If there is a large amount of mold or flood damage, you may want to hire a Water Removal Company in Decatur to help you clean up. If there is still standing water, look for the best Water Extraction Services in Decatur.
• People with asthma, allergies, or other breathing problems may be more sensitive to mold. Talk to your doctor if you aren't sure whether it is safe for you to clean up after a flood.

For your deep cleaning, sanitation and disinfection services in Decatur, ServiceMaster by Lovejoy provides fast response to take care of everything as quickly as possible. We are an Insurance Company-Preferred Vendor, which provides you with an even smoother and proficient solution to your needs.

Call us immediately through these numbers: 

Conyers: 678-293-0297

Roswell: 770-992-1575

We will be at your location within 45 minutes of your call. We cover these areas: Atlanta, Sandy Springs, Decatur, Stockbridge, Conyers, McDonough, Stone Mountain, Covington, Social Circle and Dekalb County, and Georgia.